Mystery priest and crash victim reunite

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QUINCY, IL (KTVI)-A college student who nearly died in a serious car crash in early August and the “angel priest” who came from nowhere to pray with her were reunited Friday at her Illinois home.

On August 4, Katie Lentz, 19, was involved in a head-on car crash. Her car was crushedand emergency crews were doing everything they could to get the injured teen out of the car and to a hospital, but equipment problems were slowing down their work. During the rescue, Katie told rescue workers she wanted to pray. That’s when workers say the priest appeared out of nowhere.

The now identified Rev. Patrick Dowling from the Diocese of Jefferson City, MO prayed directly with Katie then, as rescue workers continued their work, he prayed the rosary off to one side. According to workers, it was not long after that that a backup crew arrived with working equipmentand they were able to free the teen.

Katie and Fr. Dowling met Friday at her Quincy, IL home and talked about that day and her long recovery. She suffered fifteen broken bones and a lacerated liver and spleen in the wreck.

Fr. Dowling, who does prison ministry, came across the northeast Missouri crash while driving between Sunday Mass assignments. He waited until he could get closer and then parked and approached the scene to see if his services were needed. Fr. Dowling revealed his identity and the story about how he arrived on the scene in the comments section of a story about the crash on the National Catholic Register website.